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Updated: Big 12 football openers: Sharp outings, 3 clunkers

The Big 12 went 6-3 on an opening weekend of the college football season that will be remembered more for two of the losses rather than any of the wins.

A second straight Texas defeat at the hands of lightly regarded Maryland is alarming, both to the Longhorns program and the conference’s hopes to get its marquee name brand back in business.

Kansas’ 26-23 overtime loss to lower-level FCS foe Nicholls indicates that David Beaty is no further along in year three than when the former Texas A&M assistant coach took over the rag-tag Jayhawks.

There was almost a third black eye as Kansas State needed a furious late rally to nip lower-level South Dakota 27-24.

The top three teams in the conference preseason poll — Oklahoma, West Virginia and TCU — shined and looked in midseason form.

To recap the openers:

THE GOOD

Oklahoma 63, Florida Atlantic 14: Before you say anything about the opponent, know that Lane Kiffin’s Owls won 11 games last year and are expected to be one of the best teams in the Group of Five leagues. Considering that, the Sooners were terrific in every aspect. Kyler Murray’s debut was a success: 9 of 11 passing for 209 yards with 2 TDs and 0 picks. Rodney Anderson ran 5 times for 100 yards. Marquise Brown caught 6 passes for 133 yards. The Sooners didn’t waste any time throttling FAU, romping to a 28-0 first-quarter lead that became 42-0 at the half. Oklahoma showed impeccable balance in gaining 650 yards with 316 rushing and 334 passing. Next: vs. UCLA (0-1), Saturday, noon (FOX).

West Virginia 40, Tennessee 14: Will Grier launched his Heisman campaign with a premier performance. He completed 25 of 34 passes for 429 yards with 5 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Two of his targets enjoyed 100-yard games: David Sills (7 for 140) and Gary Jennings (6 for 113). The weather-delayed, neutral-site game in Charlotte, N.C., was close until the Mountaineers scored three TDs in the third quarter for a 33-14 advantage. Another encouraging sign for WVU: The oft-maligned defense held up well, allowing just 129 yards rushing and 301 total. The only caveat: The SEC Volunteers are in rebuilding mode under a new coach. Next: vs. Youngstown State (0-1), Saturday, 5 p.m.

TCU 55, Southern 7: One cannot draw many conclusions from a blowout of an FCS cupcake. But better to crush the cupcake rather than nibble away at it. The Horned Frogs raced to a 17-0 first-quarter lead and were up 38-7 at the half. The reserves played most of the second half (11 guys carried the ball). New starting QB Shawn Robinson was efficient, completing 17 of 24 for 182 yards with 3 TDs and no picks. The Frogs outgained the Jaguars 499-155, won first downs 30-9 and were +3 in turnover margin. Next: at SMU (0-1), Friday, 7 p.m. (ESPN2).

Oklahoma State 58, Missouri State 17: The numbers looked good Thursday night. New QB Taylor Cornelius completed 24 of 34 passes for 295 yards with 5 TDs and 1 INT, yet Coach Mike Gundy wasn’t overwhelmed. “He was very average,” Gundy said of the senior making his starting debut. The best sign for the Cowboys was having two 100-yard rushers and averaging eight yards a pop. Next: vs. South Alabama (0-1), Saturday, 7 p.m.

Baylor 55, Abilene Christian 27: Not a lot to brag about here against an FCS creampuff, but it’s a step forward for the Bears, who lost their opener at home to Liberty a year ago and are trying to rebuild from 1-11. Former Lake Travis QB Charlie Brewer hurt his back (extent unknown), but graduate transfer Jalan McClendon from North Carolina State was 10 of 13 for 172 yards and 2 scores. Better yet, Baylor had two 100-yard rushers: John Lovett (12 for 115) and JaMycal Hasty (10 for 102) and amassed 606 yards total offense. The defense still looks shaky and was torched by ex-Rouse High RB Billy McCrary (6 for 141). Next: at UTSA (0-1), Saturday, 6 p.m.

THE BAD

Kansas State 27, South Dakota 24: Yeah, the Wildcats survived — barely — but they were a hot mess. The Cats made four turnovers, and their defense did not produce a single turnover. The Coyotes, predicted to finish in the lower half of the I-AA Missouri Valley Conference, took a 24-12 lead into the fourth quarter. Isaiah Zuber saved K-State’s bacon with an 85-yard punt return for a touchdown to close the gap, then a game-winning 10-yard TD catch from Skylar Thompson with 7:21 to play. Other than the Cats’ huge edge in rushing yardage (256 to 77), the stats were way too close for K-State fans’ comfort. Next Saturday could be big trouble. Next: vs. 18-Mississippi State (1-0), Saturday, 11 a.m. (ESPN)

Iowa State vs. South Dakota State, canceled: Listing this one under The Bad because the Cyclones lost the opportunity to notch a win toward getting to 6-6. And now they’ll have to face a rival Iowa team that already has a game under its belt. Heavy thunderstorms knocked this one out after just four minutes of play, and there are no plans to make it up. Kyle Kempt had fired a 55-yard TD pass to put the Clones up. Iowa State did not want to play Monday and lose a day of preparation for the Iowa game. The Jackrabbits will still receive their $425,000 guarantee, according to the Argus Leader, because the game did start. Next: at Iowa (1-0), Saturday, 4 p.m. (FOX)

THE UGLY

Maryland 34, Texas 29: Tom Herman repeatedly said throughout summer camp that he’d never felt better about one of his teams. Talk about misreading the situation. The Longhorns looked downright awful out of the gate — just like a year ago in a mind-blowing loss to the Terps. Maryland is expected to be one of the worst teams in the Big Ten. The stats were closer this time, almost identical, actually. Well, all but ONE stat. Turnovers. The Longhorns made three — all Sam Ehlinger interceptions. The Terps made none. You’ll lose almost every time going minus-3 in turnover margin. Next: vs. Tulsa (1-0), Saturday, 7 p.m. (LHN)

Ole Miss 47, Texas Tech 27: Kliff Kingsbury’s hot seat just got a little warmer. The New Braunfels High alum was saved by a late-season win at Texas last year. This 20-point loss puts him back in the eye of the storm. Yes, the Rebels are an SEC team, but they are projected as a 7-5 team. The Red Raiders were supposed to get a lift from an improved defense. It did not show up. At all. Ole Miss scored immediately on a 58-yard pass play that undressed Tech’s secondary and rolled up 556 yards in the neutral-site game at NRG Stadium in Houston. McLane Carter, Tech’s new starting QB, suffered an early ankle injury and gave way to freshman Alan Bowman, who played credibly. Bowman completed 29 of 49 for 273 yards with 1 TD and no INTs. But the Raider defense couldn’t stop the Rebels’ Scottie Phillips from running for 204 yards on 16 carries. Next: vs. Lamar (1-0), Saturday, 3 p.m.

Nicholls 26, Kansas 23 (OT): How horrific was this loss? Las Vegas just changed the odds to make Beaty the 4-to-1 favorite to be the first college football coach fired this fall. (Kingsbury is the sixth choice at 10-1). Truth is, the Colonels out of the I-AA Southland Conference owned the lines of scrimmage and pushed the Jayhawks around. The rushing totals show it: Nicholls ran 50 times for 187 yards and 3 TDs; Kansas ran 32 times for a puny 56 yards, a 1.8 average. Quite frankly, the better team won. Next: at Central Michigan (0-1), Saturday, 2 p.m.